


Recollections of Moments Frozen in Time

by Song_of_the_Era_17



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Abandonment, Angst, Domestic Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 20:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5388965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Song_of_the_Era_17/pseuds/Song_of_the_Era_17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of one-shots during the one year timeskip. Join Gray and Juvia between the disbandment of Fairy Tail and their return to Magnolia. Watch as their relationship grows, falls apart, and then comes back together. Based on Juvia's monologue from Fairy Tail Chapter 424: AVATAR.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Recollections of Moments Frozen in Time

Gray didn’t believe the Master when he first heard the announcement. Hell, nobody did. Nobody wanted to. Save for Natsu, Happy, and Gildarts, every member of Fairy Tail had gathered in front of the remains of their guild hall, hoping to eventually begin rebuilding. Master Makarov, however, had a different plan for the wizards gathered before him.

“What’s going on, Master?!” Wakaba shouted. Gray figured that, just like himself, the older man wished that he hadn’t heard the master correctly.

“This isn’t the time to joke!” Macao added. _Oh, Mavis, I wish this was a joke._

“How the hell are we gonna keep food on the table, then?!” Jet yelled, teeth clenched together. _That’s right_ , Gray realized, sweat dripping down his forehead, _how are we supposed to earn money now? None of us have any other way to support ourselves._

“This isn’t your problem alone!”

Despite all this going on around him, the master of Fairy Tail just stood on the rubble of what was left of the Fairy Tail building, looking more solemn than any of the wizards had ever seen him. Slowly, he raised his eyes to gaze directly at them.

“I will disband Fairy Tail,” he said simply.

“What?!” Gray shouted in disbelief, but Makarov continued on as if nothing had happened.

“Go. Go where your beliefs and your legs will take you. That’s all there is.” The old man climbed down from the wreckage and began to walk away.

“O-Oi,” Gray stuttered, shaking his head, “Gramps, hang on a sec!”

The shouts of his comrades joined his own—cries of disbelief and solidarity filling the air and echoing through the streets of Magnolia.

“I’m not buying that, Master!”

“Fairy Tail’s my one and only choice!”

“Ya coulda just left yourself if ya didn’t wanna be part of the guild no more!”

“I won’t quit! Fairy Tail will be here!”

“They’ve got that right!”

Makarov turned and glared everybody down. “FAIRY TAIL WILL DISBAND THIS VERY INSTANT! AND DON’T LET ME HEAR ANY ONE OF YOU SPEAK OF THAT NAME ANYMORE!” He roared, silencing every protest with two sentences, and upon hearing those words spoken, Gray Fullbuster’s heart broke.

*****

            _How can he just…abandon us like this?_

Gray was now in his apartment, shoving clothes and food into bags. He snatched picture frames from shelves and laid them in boxes. He took his memories from their resting places and packaged them up, leaving bare walls and empty shelves. _You told us to leave, yeah? Fine. I’ll leave._

A knock on the door shook the young man out of his thoughts. “Door’s open; come on in!” he shouted, going straight back to packing. The door creaked open in the other room and then swung shut, and the sound of boots on floorboards echoed through space before stopping just outside his bedroom door.

“Gray-sama?”

The ice mage shoved another shirt into his bag and stood up, stretching while he turned around to see a very familiar face. “Juvia?”

The young woman sniffled and wiped her eyes. “Can we talk for a little while? It’s important to Juvia.”

“Y-Yeah, sure,” the man said, dragging a chair over for her to sit, which she gladly accepted. Then, after clearing a space on his bed, he sat down with his elbows resting on his knees, facing the water mage. For a while, that is all there was—Juvia tightened her grip on the hem of her coat and eventually took off her hat, deciding to wring that in her hands instead; Gray sat on his bed resting his chin on his knuckles, his gaze flicking occasionally elsewhere in the room, but always returning to rest on the young woman before him.

There was comfort in each other’s presence—security that simply couldn’t be found anywhere else, or with anyone else. Even though there were still tears—understandable ones, of course; who wouldn’t be overwhelmed by losing their home like this?—the emptiness that Gray was feeling could be managed in Juvia’s company, and he knew that his presence had a similar effect on her.

No more than a few days ago, it had been Gray breaking down in the cold winter air, tears streaming down his face before slipping off and falling into the snow below. In the freezing air, in the throes of grief and loss, Juvia had been there; she was the warmth that Gray knew he would never have found on his own. The young man had felt more gratitude than words could ever convey. Why wouldn’t he be thankful? Not only had Juvia been there to comfort him, but she was the reason that his father could finally be at peace—the things that she had done, not only for him, but for his family, wouldn’t be overlooked.

Now, here in the silence of the loss of Fairy Tail—of the place that for many years he had called home—was Gray’s chance to return the favor. No, he wasn’t so good at conveying his thoughts and feelings. But he’d be damned if he didn’t try his best to do it anyway.

“I’m not gonna rush you,” he said gently, causing Juvia to meet his eyes. “Whenever you’re ready.”

The young woman nodded, placed her hat back on her head, and smoothed out her coat. Then, with a deep breath, she began. “With Fairy Tail disbanding, Juvia does not really have somewhere to go. Or anyone to go with.”

Gray raised his eyebrows. “Not even Gajeel?”

Juvia smiled a little. “Gajeel-kun told Juvia that he’d be going with Levy-san.”

At that, Gray couldn’t help but smile, too. “Oh? Gajeel and Levy, huh?” He chuckled a little. “Can’t say I didn’t see that coming. About damn time, too, Lug Nuts.”

“Juvia thinks so, too,” the young woman giggled softly. “They’re practically a couple already!” Then she became serious once more, her eyes taking on a distant look. “But that only proves Juvia’s point, doesn’t it? There is nowhere left for Juvia to go—”

“Then how about you come with me?”

Her eyes immediately cleared, regaining focus as she stared into Gray’s eyes. The young woman blinked once, twice, thrice. “Gray-sama,” she began, “Juvia is not sure that she heard you correctly. Did you just say—”

“You heard exactly right.” The young man leaned forward and gazed intently into her eyes. “Juvia, why don’t you come with me?”

“But…what Juvia did to Gray-sama’s father….” The young woman trailed off, averting her eyes as she did so. Gray had never really been good at reading people’s moods, but the guilt in Juvia’s voice was simply too powerful to miss.

The water mage had a point, of course. Juvia was the one who had destroyed Keyes of the Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros. In doing so, the curses on those he had reanimated against their will were lifted, not only delaying the activation of the Face Project, but also freeing the soul of Silver Fullbuster from the cruel fate of wandering Earthland in search of revenge. Though he hadn’t heard anything concrete, Gray was fairly certain that his father had said something rather important to Juvia. His old man had had faith in the young woman in his final moments. Gray saw no reason why he shouldn’t have faith in her, either.

“You’re the reason why my old man can be with my mom again,” Gray reassured her. “He wouldn’t have found the peace he wanted without you.”

A few moments of silence passed before Juvia met his gaze again. “Are you absolutely sure you want Juvia to come with you?”

“Hey,” he said gently, placing his hand over hers. As Juvia began to blush, Gray carried on, saying, “I said it then, and I’m saying it now. I’m here with you.” The young man gave her a reassuring smile. “And I _want_ you to be here with me.”

Silence passed between the two of them, but black eyes never once left blue during that time. Finally, Juvia smiled softly.

“Okay,” she whispered. “Juvia will go with you, Gray-sama.”


End file.
